I love all kinds of movies, in every genre, as long as they are finely acted, well done and hit some sort of chord with me. That said, true life, suspenseful covert operations, intense dramas, a delicate subject matter, magical fantasy adventures, charming comedy dramas, and harrowing stories of survival, make up what you will find in my eclectic list of best films for 2012.

As usual, if I didn’t see a particular film I could not include it here.  Of those I DID see, here’s a 2012 end-of-the-world ranking, plus a few more that could not be squeezed into the top ten, but make a damn fine collective 11.  Excluding directors, synopses are limited to ten words or less.

2012 saw the world's collective obsession with the apocalypse take place on the silverscreen on numerous occasions. Whether it was a downbeat comedy, team-up comic franchise, or exploration of our origins, most protagonists saw themselves battling a cataclysmic event. The planet has nearly been blown up, invaded by aliens, lorded over by evil geniuses and the like.

The Nevada Film Critics Society's 2012 Awards for Achievement in Film

"Argo", Ben Affleck's suspense filled political thriller about the rescue of six Americans during the 1980 hostage crisis in Iran has been named the best picture of 2012 by the Nevada Film Critics Society.

Affleck, who directed and starred in the film as CIA exfiltration expert Tony Mendez, tied as best director with Kathryn Bigelow for her work on the gripping, Zero Dark Thirty, which recounts the ten year mission of a female CIA agent determined to find and kill Al Queda terrorist leader, Osama Ben Laden.

In the other major categories, John Hawkes won best actor in the deeply moving The Sessions for his brilliant and sensitive portrayal of a severely disabled man who, as a virgin, decides to hire a sex surrogate so he can experience the joys of intimacy with a woman.

Helen Hunt, who co-starrred with Hawkes as his tender and caring sex surrogate in The Sessions and Jennifer Lawrence who starred as a troubled young widow in David O. Russell's endearing comedy drama Silver Linings Playbook tied for Best Actress.

Below is the complete list of winners in each category:

Best Film - Argo

Best Actor - John Hawkes (The Sessions)

Best Actress - TIE - Helen Hunt (The Sessions) and Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)

Best Supporting Actor - Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)

Best Supporting Actress - Sally Field (Lincoln)

Best Youth Performance - Tom Holland (The Impossible)

Best Director - TIE - Ben Affleck (Argo) and Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Ensemble Cast - Lincoln

Best Animated Movie - Frankenweenie

Best Production Design - Les Miserables

Best Cinematography - Life Of Pi

Best Visual Effects - Life Of Pi

Movie Industry Giants and Cinema Owners Celebrate The Movie Going Experience at 2012 CinemaCon

Link to Judy Thorburn's coverage of CinemaCon 2012 on The Flick Chicks website.

Hugo, Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain Top The Nevada Film Critics Society's 2011 Awards for Achievement in Film

Las Vegas, NV - The Nevada Film Critics Society (NFCS) has announced its 2011 winners for achievement in film.

Founded in 2011, NFCS's membership includes critics from newspapers, radio and TV, magazines, and qualifying on-line publications.

Every year in December the organization votes on awards for the previous calendar year’s films.

Among the categories: best picture, director, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, animated movie.

The list of 2011 NFCS winners are:

Best Film - Hugo

Best Actor - Tom Hardy (Warrior)

Best Actress - Jessica Chastain (for her outstanding work in several films of 2011 including The Debt, The Help, The Tree of Life, Take Shelter)

Best Supporting Actor - Albert Brooks (Drive)

Best Supporting Actress - Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs)

Best Child Actor - Asa Butterfield (Hugo)

Best Director - Martin Scorcese (Hugo)

Best Ensemble Cast - The Help

Best Breakthrough Performance - tie: Elizabeth Olson (Martha Marcy Mae Marlene) and Rooney Mara (Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)

Best Animated Film - Puss In Boots

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